Health-related fitness (HRF) components are essential for supporting healthy growth and reducing long-term health risks in children. This study explored cross-cultural variations in HRF among children from five Mediterranean countries—Egypt, Italy, Lebanon, Portugal, and Spain—within the framework of the DELICIOUS project.

Methods

A total of 860 children participated in the study, including 204 from Egypt (n = 204, 11.72 ± 1.46 years), 150 from Italy (9.66 ± 1.10 years), 200 from Lebanon (10.73 ± 1.90 years), 181 from Portugal (11.04 ± 1.83 years), and 125 from Spain (12.33 ± 2.27 years). Participants completed the International Physical Performance Test Profile (IPPTP), which assesses sprint speed (20 m dash), coordination (jumping sideways), upper body strength (push-ups), abdominal strength (sit-ups), lower body power (standing long jump), and cardiovascular endurance (6-min run). Children were categorized into two age groups: 8–10 and 11–14 years. ANCOVA, adjusting for BMI, was performed to analyze differences across countries and age groups.

Results

Analysis revealed significant differences in HRF across countries and age groups (p < 0.05). Spanish boys and girls consistently demonstrated superior sprint performance (20 m dash) and cardiovascular endurance (6-min run) compared to peers from other countries. Lebanese and Spanish girls exhibited stronger abdominal performance (sit-ups) than Egyptian girls, while Spanish girls also excelled in lower-body power (standing long jump). These findings underscore cross-cultural variations in HRF outcomes among Mediterranean …

Ensuring the physical fitness of Egyptian children is of paramount importance to their overall well-being, given the unique socio-cultural and educational barriers they face that may hinder their active participation. As part of the DELICIOUS project, the “Be Fit Program” aims to increase the level of physical fitness among Egyptian school-aged children. This study explores the effectiveness of a structured, six-week physical activity (PA) program in improving various facets of physical fitness in children, including body composition, speed, coordination, muscular strength, and cardiovascular endurance. With the increasing prevalence of sedentary lifestyles, such efforts are imperative to improve overall health outcomes.

Summary & Conclusion

This case control study was carried out on 64 subjects (32 lymphoproliferative disorders patients and 32 apparent healthy subjects) patients with hematologic malignancies (ALL, CLL, hairy cell leukemia, mantle cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma) who presented to Assiut university hospitals. The following investigations were done:

1. Full clinical evaluation including:

·      Full history taking including: age, sex, main complaint, anemic manifestations, therapeutic history and history of blood transfusion.

·      Clinical examination including: fever, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, bleeding tendency and bone tenderness.

2- Laboratory investigations include:

a- Complete blood count (CBC): Two ml of venous blood were withdrawn into ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) used immediately for complete blood counting with spreading of peripheral blood smears for Leishman staining and differential leucocytic counting. CBC was done using ADVIA 2120i (Siemens, Germany), including hemoglobin (Hb) level, RBCs indices, total leukocytic count, differential leukocytic count, platelet count and reticulocytic count. Examination of peripheral blood smears stained with Leishman stain for differential leukocytic count and detection of abnormal cells.

b-   Bone marrow Aspirate (BMA):

 sample was collected in EDTA tube for each patient from the anterior or posterior superior iliac spine, half ml of BM aspirate was mixed immediately on glass slides, and smears were spread to be examined after staining by Leishman stain. One ml of BM aspirate was gently dispensed into an EDTA solution tube for Flow cytometry (FCM) immunophenotypic analysis. The sample used for FCM was evaluated within 24 hours and stored at 4-8°C in the refrigerator up to 72 hours. Examination of Leishman-stained BM aspiration smears for assessment of BM cellularity, morphological BM proliferation, and BM differential counting.

c-    Immunophenotyping: was done by Beckman coulter cytoflex flow cytometer using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs).

     CD19 complex was expressed by lymphoproliferative disorders with variable density of expression of its members and correlates with clinical data, morphologic subtypes, disease course and overall prognosis.

     The expression of the four members of CD19 complex (presented as the percentage of cells expressing each molecule) was higher in B-lymphoproliferative disorders as expected because lymphocytes have a proliferative capacity in contrast to the control group in which lymphocytes are mature and resting cells that do not proliferate.

     We found that CD19 is widely expressed during all phases of B cell development until terminal differentiation into plasma cells. The majority of B cell malignancies express normal to high levels of CD19.

     It seems that CD19 and CD21 are the two members of the complex that are most consistently co-expressed on B cells. Also, there was a positive correlation between lymphocytic count and CD21 expression, possibly due to the presence of activated B cells in LPDs.

          CD81 showed no wide difference of expression between most of cases in this study. These results indicate that CD81 expression can be featured as a robust marker for leukemic blasts in cases of B-ALL and can be exploited as a valuable addition to flow cytometric monitoring of MRD.

     The decreased level of expression of CD225 can be used as an early predictive marker of transformation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

     We analyzed a total of 171 cases of hematologic malignancies, 167 cases with acute myeloid leukemia and 4 cases with T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. None of the analyzed cases showed ectopic expression of any of the members of CD19 complex.

     In conclusion, this study showed that the four members of CD19 complex are not always physically associated on the B cell surface, neither on the normal nor on the malignant B cells. The statement of association of the all complex members applies only to three of them, namely CD19, CD21 and CD81 but CD225 shows association with the members in about 60% of cases.

STAT3 signaling protein is thought to promote oncogenesis by modulating the expression of genes that are required for tumor cell survival. Following translation STAT3 may undergo several modifications such as phosphorylation or acetylation which modulate its activity. These modifications are typically cytokine dependent but under unique conditions may be cytokine-independent and constitutive. In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) STAT3 is constitutively phosphorylated on serine residues. Serine pSTAT3 induces transcription of STAT3 targeted genes. The conserved bromodomain motif of p300 binds and acetylates lysine residues in several proteins including STAT3. Therefore, we wondered whether P300 also acetylates STAT3 in CLL cells.

Aim

Determine whether p-300-dependent acetylation of STAT3 increases STAT3-dependent transcriptional activity and provide CLL cells with a survival …